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Tidying up my Sheraton II, help and suggestions please


Russ_T

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Hi all,

 

I live in Somerset, England and have owned guitars for nearly 20 years now, but lack of dedication meant I never learnt them. I started lessons, and bought a Sheraton II and it's my new love #-o I'm on my lunch break so don't have decent pics here, but will upload some of my problem areas/detail later

 

SheratonII.jpg

 

I have the serial at home for more details. Looking at it, it's whatever variation this pretty looking one is.

 

epiphone-sheraton-2-vs.jpg

 

Mine is missing the scratch plate, and has two holes where the screws would go / chipped lacquer. The screws around the pickups are nasty. There are a few light scratches (no dings) around the head where the strings must have marked it (they're circular around the posts). You get the picture, same as a million other second hand guitars of it's age.

 

I'm looking to start by sorting the missing black paint / lacquer, changing the screws around the humbuckers, fixing up the toggle switch etc.

 

Can anyone recommend places to get said parts and a tutorial on spot repairs for the finish please? I've done a bit of car spraying, but never small areas on wood [cool]

 

Thank you for your time!

 

Russ

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Hi Russ, welcome. I'm just up the road from you, Wells. I'd recommend Dan Erlewine's book, Guitar Player Repair Guide, 3rd edition, for loads of good info on set up and repair, from stewmac. I've used www.guitarpartsresource.com in the states for parts, if you're buying several items they have a good range and prices can work out cheaper even with postage. But if you only want some screws then www.allparts.uk.com are closer to home. I've got to get back to work, I'll catch up with your thread later.

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Hi Russ, I agree that the Erlewine book is a good source,

 

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Books,_plans/Building_and_repair:_Guitar,_electric/Guitar_Player_Repair_Guide.html

 

Stewart-MacDonald also has a book on guitar finishing by Dan Erlewine that has much helpful information

 

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Books,_plans/Building_and_repair:_Finishing/Guitar_Finishing_Step-By-Step.html

 

Be careful about going into finish touch-ups. The swirls on the headstock are perhaps just best buffed lightly (see another thread in the forum, http://forums.epiphone.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=13333)

 

Finish touch-ups can wind up looking worse than the original wear, sometimes it's just best to live with the wear and learn to appreciate the "character" it imparts to the instrument. Good luck with it, looks pretty sweet!

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Hi RussT

 

I have a 87 and 89 that look identical to yours. A tip the pickguards from that era are very thin and I am not that fussed on them. I am going to make or buy two black 335 pickguards that are a little thicker. I wish I knew if these from guitarparts fitted a Sheraton they are exactly what I want for my two

 

PG-0818-037.jpg

 

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/pickguard_es335.htm

 

My 87 Epiphone by Gibson has had a life and has a few chips and such. My other guitar is nigh on perfect. I want the 87 as my ready to hand guitar, it has a lot of character and I would not attempt to touch up those slight blemishes, other than darkening them a bit, so they blend in more.

 

I am heavily modding my guitars all my 3 Epi's will have new assemblies and pickups, also going for a frequensator on my E-by-G.

 

if you post your serial it would be good to know what year your Sherry is...?

 

here's the family

 

P1010234.jpg

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I love my Blondy best. ITSME-1.jpg

 

I'm supposed to be looking for a bridge screw for someone in here..I gotta get to that. He broke one and I think I have a few left over.

 

 

I've redone my sheri a couple of times..

changing pickups, wiring, tuners, nut, bridge, tail, mounting rings, plastics..

 

sheritortgrd.jpg

 

I like the original guard shape

sheritort4.jpg

but I fluctuate between tortoise and cream

sherigrdA.jpg

 

some have swapped to 335 shaped guards..

Allparts.com has all the parts you need like screws, etc.

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Hi there,

 

Just completed mine, blonde 2000 Korean Sheraton (apart from new knobs and pick guard, struggling with the guard as I'm a lefty. I may keep it off as although it leaves 2 small screw holes, I have no chips and can leave screws in). If I were you I'd just repalce the guard to hide the chips.

 

They are great guitars and the sky's the limit with modifications. I got the below all from WD music online in the UK. Do a google.

 

Gotoh tailpiece chrome

Chrome bridge

4 alpha mini pots

2 orange drop capacitors

switchcraft switch

switchcraft jack

grover imperial tuners

bone nut

cream toggle switch and pick up rings

Kent Armstrong 12 pole PAF bridge pickup chrome

Kent Armstrong 12 pole Kentron (filtertron) neck pickup chrome (they match).

new strings 10's

all chrome replacement screws and strap pins.

 

I'll be posting pics soon as it's all done. It sounds 70% better than an already very nice and palayable guitar.

 

Just the knobs, though I've just bought some from the states cream bell knobs with chrome inserts vol/tone - can't wait to get them on. Scratch plate difficult as stated. Can anyone help out there?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi guys, thank you for the warm welcome [confused]

 

Thanks for all the links, looks pretty easy to find the parts, when I get chance I'll make a shopping list. Not sure what theme to follow on modifications so for now I'll do some restoration without losing the patina. I'll look into getting the books tomorrow.

 

Sorry it's been a while getting back, kept meaning to get some nice photos in the daylight but never got around to it so here are some of the problems [blush]

 

4369034956_0c2cb6b9f1.jpg

 

Hanging tailpiece, bridge, pickup cover

 

 

4368288073_46fd776889.jpg

 

Hanging tailpiece, bridge, pickup cover

 

 

4368289713_1920c91e81.jpg

 

Pick guard hole

 

 

4368302209_a8f951730f.jpg

 

My Shera's serial

 

 

Bits I want to tidy to start, mainly the holes/missing paint/lacquer and replace rusty screws. Might have a go on the pickup guards with my bead blaster and buff them, see if a bare metal look works whilst I get some new ones hehe. The white edge around my guitar seems pretty yellow, not sure whether I should go gold or silver with the parts, or something alternative. Maybe try a really good clean first lol

 

Still in two minds whether to replace the pickguard, thank you for the info though.

 

To quote the guitar data project:

 

Your guitar was made at the

Samick Plant, Korea

September 1995

Production Number: 8888

 

 

Anyway better go play it!

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Russ, before you shot blast anything, have a look at the results Chewy got taking the gold off with T-cut. His is a different factory's model to yours, so underneath the gold might not be the same, but worth a look. Here's the link to his post

Chewy's post

and as it has some big pics, here's the main one:

sherry2.jpg

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Ahh nice one!!

 

It always looked like someone has had a go at the gold on mine already, it's probably just from playing as the sides remain a bit gold. If I get bored of playing in a bit I'll have a go at it [confused]

 

Just realised I was at a motorbike show today covered in stalls selling screws for restorations, I could have picked up all my screws and bits then! [blink] Doh!

 

Are there any common upgrades/mods for the Sheraton II? I wasn't thinking anything like £300 of new humbuckers or similar, more any nice bits I should add to my order when I place it?

 

Thanks!

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hmm' date=' is this how it all starts?? [cool

 

:) Oh yeah. I've replaced pickups and wiring/pots/switch etc. on mine, though some Sheri's pickups are better than others. My bridge screws rattle unless I Loctite them, so that will get replaced one day. Tuners work fine but I took the opportunity to upgrade to 18:1 Grovers when I broke one of the originals. And the plastic nut will go someday.

 

 

Your bridge is different to the one in Chewy's pic as your guitar was made in the Samick factory. There has been a lot written on the forum about how this is a different fitting size, should you think about upgrading.

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Russ, you're going down a dangerous road with all these mods! I too have a tobacco burst. Yup, I've replaced everything on my Sherri, from tuners to tailpiece, pups to pots. Fellow forum member Twang supplied the assemblies. What a difference they make!

 

While you're cleaning her up, I recommend:

 

1. Removing strings.

 

2. Put tape on the pickups. (prevent metal fibers from sticking)

 

3. Use 0000 steel wool to lightly clean crud off the fingerboard and frets.

 

4. Wipe off fingerboard with soft, damp cloth, then wipe dry.

 

5. Apply some fingerboard finishing oil with a soft cloth, to the rosewood part, with only enough oil to appear "wet" when reflection viewed in the light.

 

6. Allow 10 minutes or so for absorption, then wipe off excess oil, followed by polishing with soft dry cloth.

 

7. Remove tape from pickups and restring. Monitor condition of fingerboard...might need another treatment in a year or two.

 

 

Here's what it will look like when oiled up:

 

 

Neck-oiled.jpg

 

 

And after it's polished:

 

Neck-polished.jpg

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vomer, thanks for that, I had read about something being wider but never realised. I'll have a hunt for a old Sheriton specific bridge, or get something machined up to adapt.

 

Stumbone: wow what a difference! If I had a spare set of strings to hand I'd go do it now [thumbup]

 

I was thinking about colours and making the guitar look right/have an overall theme. Seeing as the white edging to my guitar appears to be pretty yellow I think I'll have to go with gold hardware.

 

Does you have any full guitar shots of a new tobacco burst Sheriton II please? I'm trying to find some but google images isn't helping me much. It'd be nice to find a picture of my colour sheriton in original condition so I know what it'll look like with the gold hardware. Might go get a full photo in a minute and start photoshopping it :)

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Thanks for the pics! Does look nice. I'm still torn on what to do, will start with a restring and clean and see what bits my local guitar shop sells and go from there :-k

 

I notice mine is missing the sticker inside, and instead has GT scribbled, presumably that the previous owners initials or something and not supposed to be like that?

 

Cheers

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Hi Russ!

 

My reply isn't about the guitars ... but about lessons :-k

 

I played the guitar since I early age, went through the 80s pop/rock/punk bands, recorded a CD (first and only!) and my pop/rock band in the early 90s.

Then I stopped playing the guitar for 15 years (!) (I did a violin course in that period and that's my job today)

But my guitar technique was always sloppy.

 

I picked up the guitar again this past summer and enrolled on 2 online Jazz schools:

Jimmy Bruno and Andreas Oberg

If you're interested do a search and you'll find the links easilly - I don't want to sound like I'm advertising :-k

 

But that was the best thing that happened to me since sliced bread :-k

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Hey Strum' date='

 

Is that a black TUSQ nut on your Sheri? I just bought one of those for mine (along with some new knobs to use on my RS Guitarworks pots).

 

~MW[/quote']

 

No Mike, that black is original plastic, and was worn down bad. It's been replaced by white Tusq.

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Hi Russ,

 

Re. Vomer's bridge advice. Bang on, but, word of caution before you go on a wild goose chase, not all Samick's have a shorter bridge. Take it off and measure it. If the spacing from centre of post to centre of post is 74mm you'll find alot of replacement choices on things like WD music or axesrus websites. If it's 71/2mm you have a job on as there isn't (to my knowledge) a gold replacement available anywhere (and only a couple of options for chrome). You may be better cleaning them up with t-cut or oven cleaner (off the guitar!).

 

Noijj.

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Well it turns out I have a 71mm bridge [-(

 

lol, looks like it'll be some custom mod then one day, and trying to do that and retain the gold maybe fun!

 

Where do you guys get your touch up paint? Seeing as to start I just need black it should be fairly straightforward.

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